Glory Days: Freshman Year
by abbierena
Summary: Abbie and Serena are pledging a sorority, studying for exams, and trying to maintain their sanity during their freshman year of college.
1. Chapter 1

**Move-in day**

**1:00 PM**

**Abbie's POV**

Behind my dad's truck is a U-Haul trailer carrying everything I will need for the next four years of my college experience. Four years in one trailer. Seeing it serves as a reminder that I am far from the comforts of home.

The drive from Texas was one of the most difficult I have ever experienced. We've driven west many times for family vacations, but this is completely different. This is the first time my brother Clayton isn't with us. He left for college a month ago and, although he is attending the University of Texas at Austin, and I visited him on campus just last weekend, nothing felt the same. My mom cried when we dropped him off for the first time even though he swore he'd come home at least one weekend a month.

As we're approaching my campus, I'm trying my hardest not to cry. If I cry, my mom will start to worry and tell me that this wasn't a good idea. She cried for half of the drive over here and she's already starting to cry again. I don't blame her. This is a huge step for me. I'm the first in my family to live outside of Texas and I'm starting to wonder if moving to California was a mistake. I don't know anybody here. I could have played it safe by attending UT with my brother. We could have lived in the same building and helped each other adjust to college life.

Before unloading my stuff, my parents walk with me to the check-in table in front of the residence hall I've been assigned to. "Abigail Carmichael" I say to the girl at the table and she hands me a yellow folder with my name on it. I open the folder and see my room key along with a list of Welcome Week activities. Some of the activities are cheesy, but others don't seem so bad. If my best friend Virginia were here, she'd want to attend each and every one and I'd have no choice but to go with her. We got accepted to the same schools, but the University of Arizona offered her a softball scholarship and there was no way she'd turn that down.

I glance at the contents of my folder to see what room I'll be spending the next nine months of my life in. The building I've been assigned to is a high rise so I start hoping I'll get a room on the first or second floor. Wrong. Room 925A. These elevators better be reliable. My roommate is supposed to check in around the same time as I am, which makes me remember something that Virginia told me about girls on move-in day. "Most of them are brutal," she said. "If you're not the first one there, you'll be left with the top bunk and the least amount of closet space." Poor Virginia had to learn the hard way.

I start to realize that it's now 30 minutes past my scheduled move-in time. I better start unloading my stuff and heading up to my dorm before my roommate Serena beats me there. I've never met her before and I've only spoken to her once on the phone but once was enough to know that we are nothing alike. I'm from rural Texas and she's from some affluent neighborhood in New England. I forgot which one, not that it matters. My brother and I are the first in our family to go to college. Serena's dad is an investment banker and her mom is a corporate attorney. She's a legacy at Harvard and her parents nearly disowned her when she told them she didn't want to go there. That must have taken some nerve. Maybe she won't be so horrible for a preppy girl.

My parents and I start to unload the U-Haul and take my belongings up to the 9th floor. After countless trips up and down the elevator, every box is finally out of the U-Haul and stacked in my new dorm. I look around and see that there are two separate beds as opposed to bunks. There's also separate dressers and closets. Thank goodness I won't have to fight over space like Virginia did. The room seems small, but it's far from cozy. The walls are white and bare. I know I can put up posters, but I forgot to bring any. My mom promises she'll send pictures for me to put up, but I don't know what I'm going to do in the meantime to make this place seem like home.

My dad tells me he forgot something in his truck and he'll be right back. In the meantime, my mom and I decide to survey the rest of the space. My roommate isn't here yet, but it's hard to miss the fact that my suitemates have already checked in. They are three of the loudest, most obnoxious girls I have ever heard. Virginia and I used to make fun of girls like that and now I'm being forced to live next to them and not just live next to them, but share a bathroom with them. Five girls sharing one bathroom? Sharing a bathroom with my brothers was easy. Guys are usually in and out of the shower in five minutes. But girls? I don't know how I'm going to survive this. Their curling irons and toiletries are already surrounding the sinks.

"Do you need help unpacking, sweetheart?" my mom asks me when we sit down on my bed and take a look at the amount of boxes surrounding us. I want to say yes. I want to ask her if she'll help me make this place feel like home, but I know that no matter how my room looks, it will never be home.

"I can do it," I tell my mom and I know she can sense the uncertainty in my voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it'll give me something to do anyway. Serena isn't here yet and classes don't start for another five days," I tell her even though what I mean to say is "No, I'm not sure. I'm not even sure if I should be here."

"You're going to have so much fun here," my mom says, trying to convince me. "I bet you and Serena will become best friends and the boys here are cute. I saw one down the hall looking at you."

"Mom!" I say as I throw myself back on my bed. "I'm not even thinking about that."

"Abbie Carmichael not thinking about boys? I'm shocked!" my mom says in an attempt to cheer me up.

I'm about to say something equally sarcastic when my dad comes in carrying a gift for me.

"I was going to hang this in my garage, but once I saw how bare these walls are, I figured you'd need it more than I do," my dad tells me.

"Daddy! It's perfect!" I say as I open the bag and unfold the Texas flag. "Help me hang it up?"

The flag takes up half my wall, but I wouldn't have it any other way. "Now you'll never forget where you come from," my dad tells me and I try to choke back the tears.

"I can't do this," I tell him.

"You'll be fine, Abbie," my dad says as he gives me a hug. "It's only for a month. We'll be back for Parents Weekend."

"And after that?" I ask.

"You'll come home for Christmas break," my dad tells me.

"And after that?" I ask. "Come on, Dad. We're running out of major holidays here. I want to fly back for Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day and Easter and Mother's Day too."

"You say that now, but you're going to be having so much fun here," my dad says to me. "_We_ will be the ones begging _you_ to come home."

"Yeah, probably," I say, trying to be optimistic. They're trying to adjust to this situation the same way I am.

"Do you want me to walk you out?" I ask.

"No," my mom says. "Bless your heart."

"You sure?" I ask.

"If I see the truck pull away from you and you're standing by yourself with that sad look on your face, I'll be tempted to tell your dad to turn around so we can bring you with us," my mom tells me.

"Okay," I tell her as I give her one last hug.

After five more minutes of tearful goodbyes, I'm alone in my dorm. There's still no sign of Serena and although I know she'll be nothing like Virginia, having someone in the room with me is better than having no one at all. Maybe I should introduce myself to my suitemates.

"I love college!" I hear one of them shout. Oh God, she's already drunk. This is going to be a long school year.

Four hours later, my bed is made and my clothes have been unpacked. I figured the rest could wait. I decide to put on some music and lie down. The first song that starts playing on my iTunes is "God Blessed Texas." Hearing it makes me even more homesick than before. I decide to call Virginia, but she doesn't answer. Same goes for Clayton. Why would they answer though? They've already been in school for a month and it's a Saturday night. I'm sure they both have plenty of friends to hang out with.

I'm starting to reconsider introducing myself to my suitemates. They seem like idiots, but at least they know how to have fun and they don't seem the slightest bit homesick. As I work up the nerve to go over there, I hear a keycard being inserted and four numbers being punched in. It's the moment of truth. I'm finally going to meet the girl I'll be living with for the next nine months.


	2. Chapter 2

**Move-in day**

**4:00 PM**

**Serena's POV**

After five of the most agonizing hours of my life, our flight has finally landed. I told my parents that check-in time was at 1, but they didn't take that into consideration when they booked our flight. Now I'm going to be stuck with the top bunk and the least amount of closet space.

All of my belongings were shipped a week ago and are already in storage at my campus. If only I could have gotten to them in time. It's 4:00. I could have been settled in by now.

My parents and I have been looking forward to this day for as long as I could remember. When they imagined their daughter going to college, they imagined me going to Harvard and continuing the legacy. At Harvard I was supposed to join my mother's sorority and meet a nice boy from my father's fraternity so we could get married and buy a house in a neighborhood not too different from the one I grew up in. Our kids would attend the most expensive and, therefore, the best schools and then grow up to perpetuate the cycle. I, on the other hand, imagined things a little differently. Ever since I was ten my one goal in life was to be nothing like my parents, which meant not going to their alma mater and not marrying a nice Harvard boy.

When I told them I wasn't going to Harvard, they were furious. For added shock value, I told them I was going to Yale and they threatened to disown me. I guess they just don't understand my sense of humor. After a month of arguing, my parents finally accepted that I wasn't going to budge. Once I submitted my intent to register, my mother began looking at different sororities for me and found that her sorority is at my school. She has been preparing me for Rush since I was a toddler and there is no way she will let me go through college without being in her sorority.

"You will have the time of your life in Kappa Gamma Phi," she tells me. "That's how I met my dearest friends."

I'm well aware of who these "dearest" friends are and if those are the kind of people I'm going to meet in her sorority, I'd prefer to stay as far away from the Kappa house as possible.

I played tennis in high school and I was excellent, but when I told my mom I want to play at the college level, she told me that sports would get in the way of school and sorority life. "Being in a sorority will help you get into law school," she told me. "Tennis will do nothing for you." I haven't even attended my first class as an undergrad and she's already thinking about me getting into law school.

I'm meeting my roommate today and I'm starting to get nervous. I spent the whole summer wondering what she's like and hoping we'll get along. I've known people who became best friends with their freshman roommate and I've also known people who end up hating their roommate. I've only spoken to Abbie once, but that one conversation was enough to know that she's nothing like the girls I went to school with.

Our cab pulls up in front of the residence halls and I quickly get out so I can head over to where everyone is checking in. "Serena Southerlyn" I tell the girl at the desk and she hands me a folder with my name and room assignment on it. The ninth floor? Ugh! And I have to share a bathroom with the girls next door? My parents told me they paid for a private bathroom. This must be their way of getting back at me.

I look around the courtyard and witness the tearful goodbyes of other families. They're hugging and saying "I love you" while my parents are telling me they can't stay long because they have reservations at a restaurant downtown.

"Can you at least help me bring the boxes to my room?" I ask.

"I suppose there's time for that," my dad says and then smiles at me for the first time today. I know me moving away is hurting him a lot more than he'd like to believe.

We start loading the boxes into bins with wheels on the bottom to eliminate the need for more than one trip up to the ninth floor. Most parents want to prolong the moving-in process so they can spend more time with their son or daughter, but not mine. They want this process to be as quick and efficient as possible.

Once we reach my room, I punch in my code and open the door. The first thing I hear is country music coming from my roommate's computer. She's already here. I knew she would be. Okay, Serena, step in. Remember, you're going to be living with this girl for the next nine months of your life so try to be nice. Her taste in music isn't the same as yours, but maybe you won't be too different after all.

Before I work up the nerve to walk over and introduce myself. My mom steps in and quickly steps out. "Why would they pair our daughter with someone like that?" I hear her say to my dad as the two of them walk away from my room.

Did she actually just say that? What am I talking about? Of course she did. I look at Abbie and expect her to be offended, but she starts laughing instead.

"You must be Abbie," I say hesitantly as she gets up from her bed.

"Abbie Carmichael," she says as she smiles wide enough for me to see her dimples. "Pleased to meet ya."

"I'm Serena," I start to say even though I know it's lame. Who else would I be? "I'm sorry about my mom. She can be a bit—"

"Don't worry about it," Abbie quickly replies. "I get that all the time."

Get what all the time? I want to ask her, but I find myself unable to speak. I start to really look at Abbie for the first time. She's dressed simply and she seems to put no effort into her appearance. She's wearing a white tank top and a denim mini skirt with flip flops. Her long black hair is straight down with absolutely no curls on the bottom and I can't see a single accessory on her. Abbie is the type of girl who is naturally beautiful and either she doesn't know or she doesn't care.

I glance down at my own ensemble and start to wish I would have worn something else. I had planned this outfit for weeks, but now I feel so out of place. I'm wearing white skinny pants, a yellow polo shirt, and a light pink cardigan. Around my neck is a set of pearls I borrowed from my grandmother and my hair is in a high ponytail with curls.

"Is everything okay?" Abbie asks. Shit, I've been staring too long. So much for making a good impression. She's probably judging me already.

"I'm fine," I say and attempt to smile. No, I'm not fine. I feel like a total geek compared to this girl. "I better go talk to my mom," I say and turn to make my way to wherever my parents may be.

"Mom! Dad!" I shout once I see them standing next to the exit.

"Did you really have to say that?" I ask my mom once I catch up to them.

"Serena, did you see the way she was dressed? That girl has no morals. She's going to be a horrible influence on you," my mom says to me.

"You glanced at her once and you're already judging her?" I snap.

"Serena, we better get going," my dad intervenes. "We'll be downtown until tomorrow. Call us if you need anything."

"I will," I tell them even though it's a lie. "I'll miss you both." Yet another lie.

As soon as my parents leave, I decide it's time to gather up the courage to talk to my roommate.


	3. Chapter 3

**Abbie's POV**

A few minutes later, my roommate walks back into our dorm looking even more tense than she did earlier. I used to think she was a snob, but I now know that she is just sheltered and high-strung and, after my encounter with Mrs. Southerlyn, I know exactly why.

I'll have to resist the urge to do so, but I feel as if I might be able to bring Serena out of her shell. Sure, she dresses like a geek and she is a bit socially awkward, but at least she isn't the way I thought she would be. There's just something different about Serena, something I can't quite figure out, but I'm glad I'll get the next nine months to try.

"I'm so sorry," Serena says again and gives me a worried look. I can tell she's the type of person who worries about first impressions.

"Don't worry about it," I tell her in hopes that she will finally be at ease. She just smiles at me and starts unpacking.

Everything she has brought with her fits into five boxes and two suitcases that are all neatly labeled. She opens up the first box and starts to delicately pull out the clothing inside. Every article of clothing she pulls out is then laid out on her bed, which now looks like the junior's department at Nordstrom. There's cardigans, polo shirts, button-up shirts, skirts, and jeans that cost more than my entire wardrobe.

"My mom and I went a little overboard with my wardrobe," Serena says when she notices me watching her unpack.

"A little?" I tease and Serena finally starts to laugh.

"This is lame. You want to get out of here?" she suggests.

"Dining hall?"

"Hell yes," Serena responds.

We make our way over to the dining hall across the quad and start to load up our trays. Serena goes to the salad bar first and fills her plate with salad and crackers.

"Salad, Serena? Salad?" I ask in disgust.

"My mom has had me on a salad diet all summer," she responds.

"But she's not here right now, is she?" I ask and then raise an eyebrow.

"So long, diet," Serena says and then we head over to the _real_ food.

When we finally get to a table, our trays are filled to capacity with pizza, French fries, grilled cheese sandwiches, cookies, and ice cream.

"I think this has to be the best thing about college so far," I tell Serena. "It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet twice a day and there's no one to tell me I can't just have junk. If I want this chocolate chip cookie right here, I can have it. If I want to pile ice cream on it and smother it with hot fudge, I can do that too."

"Aren't you worried about the freshman 15?" Serena asks

"Serena, look at me, I think I can gain the freshman _fifty_ and finally be at an average weight."

"You're lucky," Serena tells me. "I've been on a diet this whole summer to prepare for Rush. My mom would prefer me being in her stupid sorority over my own happiness?"

"Why would she want you to starve yourself for a sorority?" I ask.

"Because she's a control freak and I hate her," Serena responds and I can't tell if she's serious. When she starts laughing, I'm finally at ease.

After pigging out for an hour, we head back to our room. The ninth floor gives us the perfect view of fraternity row and as I look out the window I can see hoards of scantily clad girls pouring out of the dorms and university apartments and heading to different parties.

"I wonder if our suitemates are out there," Serena says as she gazes out the window with me.

"Oh, you know they are," I tell her. "Twenty dollars says they'll be on _Girls Gone Wild_ by the end of the school year."

"Or the end of Fall quarter," Serena adds.

"I'm really glad I was paired up with you," I confess.

"Me too," Serena admits and smiles at me. Seeing her smile makes me smile in return, perhaps for a little too long.

"You have the cutest dimples," she squeals.

"I hate them," I admit to her. "When I was a little girl, I thought it meant something was wrong with me. I kept asking my mom why I had little dents in my face."

"What did she tell you?" Serena asks.

"I don't even remember," I tell her. "Probably something that a Texan Christian mom would say. You know, they're kisses from an angel or something along the lines of that."

"Your mom seems sweet," Serena tells me, but I can see that her smile is fading. I know she's the type of girl who has had everything handed to her, but I'm starting to feel bad about her situation. All I had was a brief encounter with Mrs. Southerlyn, but it was long enough to know that she controls every aspect of Serena's life. Serena and I head over to our beds and continue the conversation lying down.

"Tell me about your life back home," I suggest, hoping that it will make Serena perk up again. "What are your friends like? What are the guys like?"

Serena starts laughing again. "I don't know what to say about back home. For starters, we don't say things like 'back home.' I live in a gated community in Connecticut and I hate it. I can't just drive into my neighborhood like a normal person. I have to punch in a code during daylight hours and, during the night, I can't enter unless my ID is checked."

"That's intense," I say to her. I can't imagine having to show someone an ID to enter my own neighborhood. In fact, I can't even imagine living in a "neighborhood." The nearest house to mine is over a mile away.

"Tell me about it," Serena responds. "As for the people over there, they're even worse. Take my parents, for example. They don't keep tabs on me the way normal parents do. They just want to make sure I don't do anything to disgrace the family name. I think people in my community have kids for the sole purpose of perpetuating the cycle. We're supposed to grow up to be just like our parents. We're supposed to go to their alma mater, find similar marriage partners, have their careers, and then raise children who will also grow up to perpetuate the cycle."

For the first time in my life, I start to become grateful that I was raised in rural Texas. We may not have money like the people in Serena's community, but at least we have our family values and people are hospitable and don't feel as if they have to hide behind their gated community.

"My friends were okay," Serena insists. "I kind of miss them. They're all at Harvard or Yale or Princeton or some other school where your money speaks higher than your GPA."

"Well, look at you being rebellious and going to a public university," I tease and Serena starts laughing again.

"What can I say? I'm a renegade," Serena responds.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" I ask even though it may be too blunt of a question to ask someone you barely met.

"No!" Serena says quickly. I can tell she's starting to become nervous. "I mean, no, I never had time for guys."

"Well, you do now," I tell her. "It's funny. I never really had time for guys either, but I always _made_ time. I'm not with anyone right now, though. There's no need for it."

"Seriously!" Serena agreed. "We're freshmen. We have our whole lives ahead of us. I'm not ready to perpetuate the cycle and I'm not going to. I'm not going to live in some mansion and act like I'm happy while my husband screws some bimbo with half my IQ and twice my cup size. And the last name Southerlyn is WASP enough. I'm not going to change it to Worthington or Wellington or whatever last names the people in my neighborhood have."

"Here, here," I tell her. "Except in my case, I'm not getting married at all. Or falling in love."

"That's more like it," Serena says. "I really _am _glad we were paired up."

"Me, too," I respond. "There's some soda in the mini-fridge. Do you want some?"

"Soda instead of alcohol?" She asks as I give her a can. "You're really not like our suitemates."

"I think that's the best compliment anyone could have ever given me," I say to her and start smiling. I can tell she's trying to look for my dimples again, which makes me smile even more.

"Let's make a toast," Serena suggests.

"To what?" I ask.

"To us," she responds. "May these next four years be the greatest of our lives."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! They are greatly appreciated.

**Serena's POV**

I glance at the clock and notice it's 6 a.m. I would like to be sleeping, but I know my mom should be calling any minute now. It's 9 a.m. in Connecticut and she forgets that life exists outside of the Eastern Time zone. By 6:03 I'm surprised that she hasn't called yet. Today is the first day of Rush and my mom considers this to be the biggest day of my life. Most moms would say that the biggest day of their daughter's life would be the day she gets married or the day her first child is born, but not my mom. My mom says that Rush is the most important event in a girl's life because whatever house she pledges determines the rest of her life. According to my mom, a girl needs to be in the "right" house so she could make the "right" friends and meet the "right" guy.

I'm part of a legacy in Kappa Gamma Phi that goes back over 100 years to the Founding Sisters. Kappa was originally founded so young women could foster a sense of sisterhood built on philanthropy and Christian values. At least that's what the website says. The real reason it was started was so blue-blooded New England young women could have a safe haven from those they felt were unworthy. It bothers me that my grandmother and great-grandmother were part of Kappa when it was racially exclusive. Not only did they condone the exclusion of other races, they fought to keep it that way. The sorority didn't become inclusive until the 1970s, around the time my mom was an active member. My mom was thrilled with the possibility of having sisters from different racial backgrounds, but my grandmother was furious. She likes to tell me about the golden age of Kappa in the '50s when she and her sisters would have tea parties and wear their boyfriend's fraternity pins. I wonder how she would feel if she knew that this generation of Kappas has traded tea parties for beer bongs.

My mom, my aunts, my grandmothers, and my great-grandmothers have been preparing me for Rush from the moment I was born. I was brought home from the hospital in a blanket embroidered with the Kappa Gamma Phi letters and I was shown off at every Kappa alumni reunion so I could get to know the "right" people. The intensity of their preparation increased this summer. I was put on a strict diet and everyday one of them would give me pointers about Rush. My grandmother would say, "You're a Southerlyn and it's time you start carrying yourself like one." They spent hours teaching me the proper way to sit down, how I should cross my legs, and how to act as if I'm above everyone. I really don't think I'm above everyone, but they said it's important to give everyone the impression that I am. They did a series of mock interviews this summer and even though the answers are all a matter of opinion, they'd make me start over if they felt my answers weren't good enough, which they never were.

It's now 6:10 and my phone is finally ringing.

"Hello?" I say, still half asleep.

"Serena, my darling girl!" my mom says excitedly. "It's your big day. Why are you still half asleep?"

"Because it's 6 in the morning over here, Mom," I tell her curtly.

"Don't talk to me with that tone of voice, young lady," she tells me even though I know she wasn't really listening to a word I said. "Did you get your hair done yesterday?"

"Yes, Mom," I reply.

"Good, and how about your nails? They're a delicate pink, right Serena? You know only loose women wear red nail polish."

"Yes, Mom," I say, automatically.

"Yes to what?" My mom asks.

"Yes to everything," I say, tuning her out.

"I'm having tea with your grandmother today. We'll be thinking of you, Serena."

Rush is about the only time she'll be thinking of me. "Thanks, Mom," I tell her. "I'm so excited about Rush. I think I'm going to start getting ready now."

I know it's a lie, but I just wanted to get her off of my case. I'm looking forward to Rush the same way I'd look forward to getting my wisdom teeth removed. I've heard horror stories about Rush and I honestly don't want to go through this alone. If only there was a way I could get Abbie to go with me.

**Abbie's POV**

I wake up and see my roommate staring at me from her bed. She has the same look on her face that my mom gives me when she's about to ask me to do something I honestly wouldn't want to do.

"Abbie?"

"Yes, Serena?"

"You're the greatest roommate a girl could have," she begins. I know this isn't going to end well for me.

"I know," I tell her jokingly.

"It's been two days and we're already such close friends, like sisters even," she says nervously. "Maybe we should solidify our friendship by becoming actual sisters, or sorority sisters if you will."

Oh. My. Lord.

"No," I groan.

"Please," Serena says and then sits next to me on my bed. "You know how my family is about being in a sorority and I don't want to do it alone."

"I'm not that kind of girl," I assure her.

"But you're from Texas," Serena tells me. "Sororities are _huge_ over there!"

"Yeah, if you're from old money," I inform her. "Of if your daddy is a doctor or a lawyer. I'm a rural girl with values. I didn't come to college so I could binge drink and make a complete ass of myself for the sake of wearing letters embroidered on a hooded sweatshirt."

"Please, Abbie," she says, practically begging. "You don't have to join the sorority, just come to Rush with me."

I don't know why, but I'm finding it hard to resist those angelic blue eyes of hers.

"Fine," I tell her reluctantly.

Serena lets out an uncharacteristic little squeal and heads over to my closet to pick something for me to wear. Rush hasn't even started and I'm already regretting this.

At a little after 9 p.m. Serena and I are finally approaching the last house on Sorority Row, the Kappa Gamma Phi house. So far, Rush has been just as bad as I thought it would be. The girls have all been very cookie-cutter and hardly any of them would give me the time of day, but I've been trying not to let it bother me. This isn't my big day, it's Serena's.

I've decided to look at this like I'm an anthropologist doing field research and my assignment is to study sorority girls in their element. I will have to leave my normal habitat and enter a world I am totally unfamiliar with. I look around and see hundreds of girls neatly dressed with perfect hair and fake smiles. They have names like Paige, Madison, and Cassidy. When I tell them my name is Abbie, they look at me like I'm a hick. When I tell them I'm from Texas, it's even worse. One of the girls even had the audacity to say, "You could be really pretty if you put some effort into your appearance." Another one asked, "Are you anorexic or bulimic?" I replied, "Neither, I'm just skinny" and she said, "Sure, honey, that's what we all say." The worst comments I've heard tonight are "Heroin chic went out in the '90s, sweetheart" and "I know thin is in, but you look like a walking skeleton."

I've been teased my whole life for being too thin, but I've learned to answer back to people who tease me. Tonight I chose to keep my mouth shut for fear that my comments would reflect on Serena. That's why I became extremely nervous when we approached the Kappa Gamma Phi house. Serena gently squeezed my hand and smiled at me when we walked in. The house looked no different from the other sorority houses, but the girls are more racially diverse, which I took as being a good sign.

After Harper, the President of Kappa Gamma Phi, welcomes all the Rushees to the house, Serena and I are pulled aside by two of the sisters.

"Hi, I'm Breagan," one of them says to us in an accent not too different from my own.

"And I'm Harper," the other one tells us. "Welcome to Kappa Gamma Phi."

"Thank you," Serena says and smiles. "My name is Serena and this is Abigail."

Abigail? She must have heard what happened when I said my name was Abbie.

"You're Serena Southerlyn!" Harper says excitedly. "I've heard so much about you! You're the only girl who has a letter of recommendation from the President of the National Council. Come with me, I want to show you off."

Serena walks away arm-in-arm with Harper and I'm left with Breagan, not that I mind.

"Let me guess, Serena talked you into Rushing," Breagan tells me.

"How did you know?" I ask, nervously.

"Because Harper did the same thing to me when we were freshmen. She's a legacy just like Serena is. I, on the other hand, hated sororities, but I decided to give it a chance, and now I'm vice-president," Breagan says. "But enough about me. I don't think you ever told me where you're from, Abigail."

"It's Abbie," I inform her and start smiling for the first time tonight. "And I'm from Texas."

"Me, too!" Breagan says excitedly. "I'm from just outside Dallas."

"My grandma lives in Dallas, so I'm there all the time," I tell her. "My birthmother lives in Houston, but I live with my Dad and stepmom in this tiny little town that no one has ever heard of."

"I love it!" Breagan says and puts her hand on my shoulder. "So, California boys or Texas boys?"

"Can't a girl have both?" I respond and Breagan starts laughing.

"You're too much," Breagan tells me. "Come on, I'm going to introduce you to some of the other girls."

As soon as Rush is over, Serena and I make our twenty-minute journey back to the dorms. I know my brother Clayton and my best friend Virginia would tease me endlessly for saying this, but I'm starting to hope I'll get a bid from Kappa.


	5. Chapter 5

LTP-girl: Thank you so much for your review! You inspired me to write another chapter from both of their perspectives. :D

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had writer's block, but I promise to update this more often now. **

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><p><strong>Abbie's POV<strong>

The alarm on my phone goes off at 8 a.m. and I try my hardest to get out of bed. Tomorrow is the first day of my 9:30 history class with Serena and we want to make sure we're still able to get ourselves up and ready at a decent hour like we did in high school. Granted, my first period class in high school started at 7:30 and Serena's started at 8, but in college, time takes on a whole new meaning. People go to bed later and sleep in intervals. In fact, it's safe to say that college students are never really awake and never really asleep. Serena and I learned this last night when we were at the Kappa Gamma Phi house for our bid ceremony. At 2 a.m., everyone there was so energetic while we were ready to crash. That's when Breagan told me about mid-afternoon naps and I couldn't believe what she was saying. I had always thought naps were for preschoolers, but apparently they're the norm in college. So are hookups, but that's a subject I'm not ready to touch. No pun intended.

"Do you want to get in the shower first or should I?" I ask Serena, who is struggling to keep her eyes open.

"You," she finally manages to say. Poor Serena. The ceremony was just too much for her last night. All of the girls kept fussing over how she's a legacy and how she's related to the Founders. She told me it felt like a curse. I can't even count the number of times she had to tell her story. The ceremony was a bit much and I will never admit this to Clayton or Virginia, but I actually enjoyed it. It got me excited about the pledge process and for once I feel like I'm a part of something special.

After hesitating for a few more minutes, I decide to get out of bed. I quickly strip down to my underwear and grab my shower caddy. Walking to the shower in my underwear was something I couldn't even fathom the day I arrived here, but my suitemates insisted it was easier than carrying clothes into the bathroom. It's only the five of us sharing that bathroom, but I still wasn't ready to let them see me in my underwear, especially since I usually get made fun of for being skinny.

When I get to the bathroom, I notice that the shower door is locked and my other two suitemates are crowding their sinks. These girls are never awake before noon. Of course the day I decide to do my trial run for class is the day they'd get up early.

"Christy will be out soon," Jamie insists. I can tell she knows I'm annoyed with them and how noisy they usually are. Our other suitemate, Paige, is doing her hair and singing along to some pop song playing on her iPod.

Within a couple of minutes, Serena manages to get herself out of bed and into the bathroom. She sees that I'm still waiting in line for the shower, so she decides to brush her teeth. My modest roommate has decided to wear a robe over her underwear instead of being shameless like the rest of us. Serena has a nice body, but she is always so hesitant to show it off in front of other girls. Whenever I ask her why, she just tells me it's not something she likes to talk about.

"I love your robe," Jamie tells her and Serena signals her to wait a moment. After she has spit out her toothpaste and rinsed her mouth, she finally replies a simple, "thanks."

"Why do you wear one?" Paige asks. "It's easier to just walk around in your underwear."

"I don't like doing that," Serena responds nonchalantly.

"I didn't either at first," Paige informs her. "I mean, what if I was living with a lesbian. But you are all normal, so it's okay."

"I know what you mean," Serena says and I start to become furious with her. "That's disgusting."

"What do you two consider to be normal?" I ask.

"Oh, you know, girls who like guys and only guys," Paige responds. "I think kissing a girl would be gross."

"I think kissing _you_ would be gross," I tell her, but everyone assumes I'm kidding.

"Oh, come on, Abbie," Paige says. "If some dykey girl were flirting with you, you wouldn't think it's disgusting?"

"Not at all," I inform her. "I would say the same thing I say to unwanted male attention, 'I'm flattered, but I'm not interested.' Unless she was hot, then there's no telling what I'd say."

"Abbie!" Paige says, shocked. "You wouldn't!"

"You're ridiculous, Paige," I tell her as calmly as I can. "My best friend Virginia is a lesbian and, out of all the years I've known her, she has never hit on me or checked me out because she knows I'm straight. Do you hit on every guy, even the ones who are gay?"

"No," she responds.

"Then why do you think lesbians hit on every girl, especially when they know that girl is straight?" I ask.

Paige doesn't have an answer and I can't take anymore of this conversation. I leave my shower caddy on the sink and go back to my bed. I no longer care about the trial run for tomorrow. My own roommate is homophobic and I need time to process this.

**Serena's POV**

After Abbie leaves the bathroom, my suitemates try to console me. They even go as far as warning me about Abbie trying to make a move on me. I want to tell them how ridiculous this whole situation is, but I know they're too thick-headed to understand. Lesbians don't hit on every girl; I know _I_ don't. What makes the situation worse is that Paige is not only my suitemate, she is also my future sorority sister. I'm going to have to put up with her for the next four years.

I hate myself for not defending Abbie. She was brave enough to say that it doesn't matter if a girl hits on her and all I could do was just agree with Paige.

I know she's upset with me, but I decide to join Abbie on her bed.

"I'm sorry I didn't stick up for you," I tell her.

"It's okay," Abbie says without really looking at me. I decide to lie down next to her to let her know I'm not like Paige.

"Abbie, there's something I have to tell you about myself," I say nervously. "Something I've never told anyone before."

"What?" she asks. Her tone of voice is curious and I can tell she's forgotten about being upset with me.

"I'm...I'm…"

"Blonde?" Abbie teases, but I can't even laugh right now.

"Abbie, I'm a lesbian," I say quickly so I can get it over with.

"What?" Abbie says, her eyes growing wider.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you." I try to get up from her bed, but Abbie pulls me toward her.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asks as she smiles at me.

"I don't know," I say, finally feeling relieved. "Maybe because you're a Republican and you have a giant Texas flag hanging on your side of the room."

"I see your point," she says and starts laughing.

"It's just hard," I tell her. "I always hear comments like Paige's and I don't want any of them directed at me. People assume because boys like me, I like boys. It's just easier to go along with it."

"Girls like you make me wish I were a lesbian," Abbie tells me and we both start laughing.

Abbie holds me close and I start to cry. It feels fantastic to not have to hide who I am anymore. I'm not ready to tell my parents yet, but telling Abbie is my first step toward being out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Abbie's POV**

So far, being a Kappa Gamma Phi pledge has been nothing like I expected it to be. I expected catty girls, drama, and artificial friendships, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Serena and I have met some great girls in our pledge class and we've actually enjoyed attending meetings with them. During our first meeting, our Pledge Mom broke down the entire pledge process for us. It's not always going to be fun, but at least we don't have to do anything too embarrassing like other sororities do. I heard about other sororities on campus that do weekly weigh-ins and force girls to engage in sexual acts with fraternity members as part of the pledging process. I honestly don't understand why some girls would put up with that for letters. Serena insists it's all a part of tradition, but I don't see it that way. It's easy for her to say, though. She's a Kappa legacy and Kappa pledges have it easier than any other pledges on this campus.

Our pledge process lasts six weeks and during that time we have to attend weekly meetings at the Kappa house, attend a minimum of two frat parties, complete 10 hours of community service, attend one Kappas-only social event, and complete 6 pledge tasks.

Serena and I eagerly did our community service hours in one day. We decided to volunteer at an animal shelter yesterday and we spent the whole time taking care of shelter dogs. We fed them, took them for walks, and played with them until it was time for us to go. We were absolutely heartbroken when we had to leave. We felt sorry for the dogs and we wished we could take them home with us, but pets aren't allowed in the dorms, especially with the suitemates that we have. Even if we had a goldfish, our suitemates would rat us out. I had wanted to give those girls a chance, but ever since they made those homophobic comments, there's no way I'm going to try to get to know them.

Tonight is the night of our first frat party and Serena and I have mixed feelings about it. I'm excited because it's at the Pi Beta Xi house and those guys have a reputation for throwing great parties and being the best-looking guys on campus. I haven't been spending that much time with guys lately and I'm thinking it's time to stop that. My Big Sis Breagan is going to introduce me to some of her _male_friends there, so I know I'm going to have a good time. My biggest concern is the whole frat party environment. I hear about what happens to girls at frat parties and that worries Serena and me. We were warned about guys slipping things in girls' drinks and stuff that happens upstairs. Serena doesn't think she's going to have too much fun at the party because she isn't into guys, but I'm trying to convince her otherwise. She'll be with her future sorority sisters and that has to count for something.

Serena looks so beautiful tonight in her dress. I have no idea what it is, but there is just something about her that drives me crazy. She's a great roommate and a great friend, but ever since she came out to me I've taken a different kind of interest in her. I've always thought girls were pretty, but I've never been attracted to a girl until I started spending time with Serena. She's sweet, she's fun, and she always knows how to cheer me up when I'm homesick.

"Are you ready?" she asks as she tries to sit on my bed. Her dress is skin-tight and it's preventing her from bending, so she just lies down instead.

"Almost," I tell her as I put the finishing touches on my make-up and look around for my heels.

"You're almost six feet tall and you're wearing heels?" Serena asks. "Aren't you worried about being taller than all the boys?"

"I love my heels," I respond. "And I'm not worried at all. I've been taller than all the boys ever since I was in kindergarten. I'm used to it now and maybe I'm not going to this party to meet boys."

"Oh, you're going because it's a pledge requirement," Serena says sarcastically. "I don't believe that for a second."

"I bet you're going there to meet girls," I tease and Serena starts blushing.

"It's a frat party, Abbie," Serena reminds me. "I'm going to be the only lesbian there among horny frat guys and drunk sorority girls."

"Tonight sounds like a blast," I say sarcastically.

When we get to the party, I can't help but feel like I'm in a bad teenage movie. In the middle of the room are a bunch of drunk college kids surrounding a beer keg and doing keg stands. Near the staircase is a beer bong and the music is so loud that I can barely hear myself think. When we see a girl strip for one of the frat guys, Serena's eyes start to bulge.

"Way to be obvious," I tell her, but she can't stop staring at the girl.

"Girls, come here," Breagan says as she pulls us toward a couple of Pi Beta Xi pledges. "I want you to meet these guys."

"Hi," one of the guys says to us.

"Hey," the other one tells us.

"I'll leave you two alone," Breagan says and winks at me.

"I'm Serena," Serena says and then extends her hand.

"I'm Abbie," I tell them.

"I'm Cody," one of guys says.

"I'm Billy," the other tells us.

Cody is a lanky blonde guy with shaggy hair and bright green eyes. He's really good-looking although not quite my type. He looks like the stereotypical southern California surfer boy and I'm not surprised when he tells us that he's from Huntington Beach. Billy is a little more up my alley. He's tall, good-looking, muscular, and has brown hair and brown eyes.

"I think I've seen you before," Billy says and smiles at me.

"Yeah, you're in mine and Serena's American History class," I tell him.

"I know, but I've seen you somewhere else," Billy says. "Weren't you on the cover of Vogue?"

"No," I tell him, not sure what he's getting at.

"Well, you should be," he says. "You're pretty enough to be a model."

I know it's a cheesy line, but I can't help but smile.

"You look like you could be on the cover of GQ," I tell him and he smiles at me even more.

We spend the next couple of hours dancing and making small talk. It turns out that the two of them have a brutal pledge process and they're too embarrassed to even tell us about it. All they'll say is that their Pledge Master is an asshole. The guys started laughing when they heard about the Kappa pledge process.

"It's all sisterly bonding and hearts and flowers," Cody tells us.

"We have to endure physical torture," Billy says.

"Sucks for you guys," Serena tells them. "Good luck."

The guys offer to get us some drinks and Serena and I graciously accept. It's something called Jungle Juice and the four of us have no idea what's in it and we're kind of afraid to find out. I can tell Billy wants to make a move on me, but he's too shy. I'm actually glad he's shy because while he's looking at me, I'm looking at Serena.

"We should get going," I tell Serena after we finish our drinks.

"Why?" she asks.

"I feel sick," I tell her even though it's a lie.

"Abs, I'm sorry," Serena says. "We should get you home. Billy, Cody, it's been a pleasure."

"Yeah, nice meeting you," Billy says.

"I hope you feel better," Cody tells me.

"What's wrong?" Serena asks once we're outside the frat house.

"Nothing," I tell her and start smiling. We're standing face to face and I start touching her hand. "I just wanted to get you alone."

"Why?" she asks and smiles at me in return.

"So I could do this," I tell her and gently press my lips to hers. Our kiss lasts about five seconds and then Serena steps away from me.

"Abbie, what the hell?" she asks. "What are you doing?"

"Kissing you," I tell her as I try not to look shocked. This was not the kind of reaction I was expecting from Serena.

"But why?" she asks.

"Because I like you," I admit. "I've been wanting to kiss you all night."

"Well, you shouldn't have acted on it," Serena tells me and then starts walking away.

I know running after her would only make things worse, so I let Serena have a head start. When I get to the room, she is putting her pajamas on and getting ready to go to bed. I try to talk to her but Serena just ignores me and pretends to text someone on her phone. I feel uncomfortable being in there with her so I change into something more comfortable and head outside to call my best friend Virginia and tell her what happened.


	7. Chapter 7

**Serena's POV**

I fell asleep last night still being able to feel Abbie's kiss. When she wasn't looking, I touched my lips to make sure it had even happened. Her strawberry chapstick was still on my lips and once she fell asleep, I reached into her purse and grabbed the tube so I could apply some more. As weird as it sounds, applying more chapstick felt as if I was kissing Abbie all over again. The whole situation is pathetic. Here I am, 18-years-old, and that was the first time I had been kissed by a girl. In fact, that was the first time I had been kissed by _anyone_.

She didn't come back to our room until a little after 5 in the morning. Even though she didn't tell me, I knew she was on the phone with her friend Virginia while she was outside. I can only imagine what she told her. Abbie probably thinks I'm a horrible person for reacting the way I did. To be honest, I don't know why I reacted that way. It's not like I think Abbie is unattractive. I've thought she was beautiful since the moment I first saw her. I guess I had always assumed she was straight because she never talked to me about girls. Then again, I had never talked to her about girls either.

I'm looking at her fast asleep in her bed and I can't help but smile. Abbie is so beautiful and so _different _from any girl I have ever met. I quietly make my way over to her bed and give her a delicate kiss on the lips. Her lips are unbelievably soft and a part of me is hoping that she'll wake up to me kissing her. What I'll do if she does wake up, I have no idea. After a few seconds, she is still fast asleep and I decide to pull my lips away before the situation becomes weirder than it already is.

I can't have a crush on Abbie. I can't. She is my roommate and one of the best friends I've ever had. If we act on our feelings, we risk ruining everything we have and making the rest of the school year incredibly awkward. On top of that, Abbie is _straight_. What if we act on our feelings and she makes me fall in love with her, but she ends up leaving me for a guy? That's always a possibility.

"What are you doing?" she asks when she wakes up and sees me sitting on the other side of her bed.

"We need to talk," I say urgently.

"You actually want to talk to me?" Abbie asks. She gets up so quickly that her blanket falls down to her waist. Why does she have to be wearing nothing but a bra?

"I'm not upset with you," I tell her. "About last night, I'm sorry I reacted the way I did. I was just taken aback."

"Was I your first kiss?"

"Yeah," I say hesitantly.

"I thought so." She thought so? She thought so? I am so mortified now.

"It was a nice first kiss," I insist. "You're the type of girl I've always wanted to kiss."

"Type?" she asks with one eyebrow raised. It's the expression of hers that I've grown to love.

"Tall, dark, and gorgeous."

"No one has ever said that about me," she says and smiles wide enough for me to see her dimples. "I really like you, Serena."

"I like you, too, Abbie."

"What do you want to do now?"

"Nothing," I tell her. "We shouldn't act on this."

"But we both have feelings for each other and we shouldn't deny it."

"You're _straight_, Abbie."

I can tell she's becoming frustrated with me. "Serena, I'm obviously not straight if I have a crush on you and I like kissing you. Sexuality isn't just gay or straight. I like you for you, not for what's in between your legs."

"Thanks?"

"You know what I mean," she says. "Serena, we're perfect for each other. We have similar interests, we make fun of the same obnoxious people, and we always have a good time when we're together. You're quickly becoming one of my best friends."

"And if you leave me for a guy I'll be devastated."

"I'd never do that if you were mine," Abbie insists.

"Abbie, I can't," I tell her even though I know I'm breaking her heart.

"It's fine," she says and gets out of her bed. She grabs her shower caddy, some underwear, and heads over to the shower without saying another word to me.

I spend the next few minutes lying in my bed, trying not to cry. I think I just blew my one shot with the girl of my dreams. There's no way Abbie is ever going to try to kiss me again.


End file.
